On a cool Saturday, staff writer Derek Catron took his family for some tasty soup at Cook's Cafe in downtown DeLand.
Did you really drive from Daytona Beach to DeLand just for lunch?
Yes, and it was worth it for the one-of-a-kind Chicken Velvet soup.
One of a kind?
It even has a registered trademark. But more on that later.
Cook's Cafe is tucked away inside the MainStreet Center, an office/retail building at the corner of Woodland Boulevard and New York Avenue. The menu includes everything you'd expect from a lunch spot: burgers, deli sandwiches, salads, even some vegetarian options. But the best reasons to visit -- over and over again -- are the soups and baked treats. The soups are made from scratch daily, and each day there's a selection of cakes, pies and cookies sure to break the resolve of the most committed dieters.
What did you have?
I had the soup special ($4.29), which included a 12-oz. bowl of the Chicken Velvet, garlic bread loaf and medium drink. My 10-year-old photographer had the turkey breast sandwich basket with fries ($5.19), while my dining companion was left to sample the Red Velvet soup ($2.99 for a cup) and the grilled chicken Caesar pita ($4.49).
The sandwich won the kid-stamp of approval (there is a separate children's menu), while the fries -- thick and crisp -- wound up being shared by everyone. The lettuce on the pita was fresh, and the dressing added some zest to the chicken without overpowering it.
You promised to tell us about the soup ...
I'm still savoring the memory. The Chicken Velvet is a cream-based soup with chicken, fresh mushrooms, tarragon and a host of secret ingredients owner and chef Michael Cook guards so carefully he had the soup trademarked. Same with the "Red Velvet," which has a tangier taste and has become just as popular as its sister. I'm sticking with the original, which has an elusive sweetness that's hard to describe -- you'll have to try it yourself -- and it's so thick it's almost a solid.
The soup was originally served in a nearby restaurant that's since closed. Cook (whose parents founded the Holiday House restaurants) was so impressed, he spent years experimenting until he felt like he'd not only duplicated the recipe -- he'd improved upon it.
That was more than 13 years ago -- the same year the other restaurant, Fresco's, closed -- and the soup has been his ever since.
What about the desserts?
The soup is surprisingly filling, and it doesn't leave much room for dessert. I've always imagined that the people ordering them must work close enough to make more than one trip to the restaurant. We each ordered a cookie ($1.25) to go. I had the white chocolate chip with Craisins because it seemed so unusual, and it didn't disappoint: a soft, chewy center with just enough crispness around the edges. I can say, confidentially, that the chocolate chip was just as good (my photographer forgot about the cookies after we got home), but I'd prefer that we keep that between us.
Cook's Cafe
WHERE: 101 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, inside MainStreet Center.
HOURS: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday
PHONE: 386-738-5030.
MISC.: Major credit cards accepted; handicapped accessible.
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